Union gain ground

Union Buenos Aires was the only side in the top three to pickup three points in the latest round of the Global Premier Football League, easing to a comfortable home win as both London City FC and Esportivo Rio were held to 1-1 draws on the road. Both Hong Kong Traders and Constantinople FC picked up important, upset, 1-0 wins to move up the standings.

With just one round to go until a four week break for the GPFL Global Cup, which clubs will set themselves up for a strong finish to the inaugural season?

ROUND 25 ROUND-UP

Geert-Jan de Walle and Joseph Texier traded goals six minutes apart in the lead-up to half time, as Harbour City hosted, and held, league leaders London City. On the balance of play it was a fair result and one from which the league leaders may well view as a point gained rather than two lost, given the travel and recent form of their opponents. The Australian-based side have been one of the league’s big improvers as the season has advanced, and were well worth their point. With this result, they stretched their unbeaten run to ten games and pushed themselves into the top five. 

There were no such issues for Union as they breezed past Johannesburg Rush. Golden Boot leader, Rico Cocci, was at it again, completing his hat trick with a second half header after two tidy strikes before the break. Union closed the gap at the top to a single point. The Rush have stalled in recent weeks, after a solid mid-season run, and have slipped into the bottom three of an incredibly tight lower half of the table.

Esportivo Rio found New York Capitals a tough unit to crack at MetLife Stadium. Ernesto Devia fired the Capitals in front in the lead-up to half time and, while Rodrigo Machado pulled one back just before the hour mark, the home side continued to threaten. 

LA Icons and Emirates United both lost to lose ground on the top four. United were undone by a neat Andre Peters double as Olympia Munchen got back to winning ways. Guilherme de Freitas pulled one back midway through the second half, but it was the visitors’ only shot on target all day and Olympia shut them out for the remainder.

The Icons were shocked at home by a gritty Hong Kong Traders outfit. A red card to Justin Pierce just after the hour was the start of their downfall, before Gitana Narzecian‘s cross seven minutes from time was turned into his own net by LA’s Lucio Lo Duca.

Constantinople FC also ground out a one goal win over higher-ranked opponents as Erkin Okay‘s 24th minute strike separated his team from Paris Metro. Ulrich Mosconi‘s second yellow card 26 minutes from the end meant he saw red, but that didn’t stop Metro from pushing for at least one goal. That they failed to come up with anything wasn’t through trying, as they hit each upright, along with the cross bar, in the final quarter hour. In the end, the hosts held on for a nervously-gained, but huge, three points. 

Ciudad de Madrid squeaked past Tokyo-Yokohama United thanks to Antonio Rabellini‘s second minute tap in, edging the Spaniards up the table. The visitors weren’t without their moments, but Madrid are a tough side to crack at home and they pulled out all the stops to bank a second consecutive three points.

Boudewijn Tjaarts was the creator again for Marina Bay Flyers. The GPFL’s leading assist-maker laid on both goals as the Flyers defeated bottom side, Toronto Athletic in Singapore. Kay Kraus nodded home during the first half before Valdomiro Sa slid home the second three minutes after half time.

The final two matches finished level. CF Azteca and Eternal Roma scrounged out a goalless draws in a dull match at the Azteca, al-Qāhirah Stars and Shanghai Pearl hit a goal apiece to also share the points in Cairo. Flavio Van Overstraeten headed the hosts in front eight minutes before the break, before Swiss youngster, Xylon Muhlematter, hit back five minutes into the second half.    .

AL-QAHIRAH STARS

CF AZTECA

CIUDAD DE MADRID

CONSTANTINOPLE FC

ESPORTIVO RIO

ETERNAL ROMA

HARBOUR CITY

HONG KONG TRADERS

LA ICONS

LONDON CITY FC

MARINA BAY FLYERS

NEW YORK CAPITALS

PARIS METROPOLE

SHANGHAI PEARL

TOKYO YOKOHAMA UNITED

TORONTO ATHLETIC